Record strip controlled individual-type casting and composing machine



Nov. 12, 1963 c. SINGER 3,110,396

7 RECORD STRIP CONTROLLED INDIVIDUAL-TYPE CASTING AND COMPOSING MACHINEFiled Sept. 18, 1961 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 12, 1963 c. SINGER3,110,396

RECORD STRIP CONTROLLED INDIVIDUAL-TYPE CASTING AND COMPOSING MACHINE 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18. 1961 NOV. 12, 1963 c, SINGER 3,110,396

RECORD STRIP CONTROLLED INDIVIDUAL-TYPE CASTING AND COMPOSING MACHINE 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 18, 1961 e NN Q EEK Nov. 12, 1963 c. SINGER3,110,396

RECORD STRIP CONTROLLED INDIVIDUAL-TYPE CASTING AND COMPOSING MACHINEFiled Sept. 18. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MDRIULIC C YL/NDEK United StatesPatent 3,110,395 RECORD STRTP CGNTROLLED lNDEVTDUAL-TYPE CASTING ANDQOMPGSING MACHENE Charles Singer, Homewood, Ili., assignor to R. R.Donnelley & Sons Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 13,1961, Ser. No. 138,847 7 Claims. {@l. 199'77) This invention relates tosingle-type casting and composing machines and to photo-typographicalcomposing machines which are controlled by a record strip, and isdirected particularly to an improved positioning mechanism for a matrixcase or for a master character plate, as the case may be.

In type casting and composing machines of the above type the matricesfor any particular layout or font are arranged in a rectangular casewhich is movable in two directions in the same plane to position anyrequired matrix accurately over a mould; and in the photo-composingmachines the characters are similarly arranged on a master plateadjustable in the same manner to position a character relatively to alens for projection onto a light sensitive surface. In both kinds ofmachines individual members of two indexing or positioning mechanismsare selectively operated under control of the record strip to govern thepositioning mechanisms which control the movements of the matrix case ormaster plate, as the case may be.

The existing gauging and positioning mechanisms for the matrix case orfor the master plate comprise two pairs of primary positioning jawlevers cooperating with two stepped series of separately operatedprimary gauge pins, each of which determines only one positioning pointfor a matrix case or for a master-character plate. Each pair of theseprimary positioning levers adjusts a secondary gauge or stop, and,cooperating with each of these secondary gauges are two pairs ofsecondary positioning jaw levers one pair of which moves the matrix caseor masterplate in one direction to the position indicated by one of thesecondary gauges, while the other pair moves a carrying frame for thematrix case or the master plate in another direction to a positionindicated by the other secondary gauge.

The matrix cases or the master plates normally used in machines of thepresent type have matrices for 225 characters arranged in 15 rows, eachcontaining 15 characters. This number of matrices is sufficient for mosttype setting operations. For some publications, for exampledictionaries, the numerous type faces and special typographical symbolsrequired make the 225 characters inadequate. The present inventionprovides a modification of the commercially available equipment whichpermits the use of a matrix case having 21 rows of 15 characters each,rather than the conventional 15 rows.

The machine of the present invention is provided with a secondarypositioning mechanism and matrix case indexing stop which shift thematrix case bodily with respect to the gauge pins, so that each gaugepin may locate the matrix case in either one of two positions. In anormal position, six rows of matrices in the outer end section of thecase and nine rows in the center section are in use. In a shif position,the nine rows of matrices in the center section and the six rows in theinner end section are in use.

In the existing equipment, a drawbar which moves the matrix case inresponse to movement of the secondary positioning mechanism is providedwith a fixed indexing stop.

In accordance with the present invention, the bodily shift of the matrixcase is accomplished by so arranging the indexing stop means for thedrawbar that a stop element cooperating with the secondary positioningmechaice nisrn may occupy a normal or a shift position on the drawbarand may be locked in either position.

The invention is described and illustrated as embodied in a matrix casepositioning mechanism of an existing single-type casting and composingmachine, and reference is had to the specification of U.S. Patent No.625,998 issued to Lanston Monotype Machine Co. on May 30, 1899.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the existing gauging and positioning mechanismwith the mechanism of the present invention embodied therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the matrix case drawbar and associatedmechanism with a movable drawbar stop in solid lines in a normalposition and in broken lines in a shift position;

'FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken as illustratedalong the line -44 of FIGv 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan View of the matrix case, drawbar, andsecondary positioning levers with the matrix case in its normalposition;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with the matrix case in its shiftposition;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken substantially as illustrated alongthe line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the record strip control means forshifting the drawbar stop.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to FIG.1, the existing machine contains two series of gauging and positioningmechanisms for the matrix case or master plate, one for shifting thematrix case longitudinally, and the other for shifting it laterally.Since only the longitudinal shifting mechanism is modified in thepresent invention, only that mechanism is described in detail.

The gauging and positioning mechanism of the existing machine includesan indexing pin assembly, indicated generally at ltl, containing astepped series of fifteen indexing pins each adapted to be elevated, orprojected as indicia in'a record strip R pass over a scanner S (see FIG.8). The illustrated machine uses an air scanning system, the indicia areholes in the record strip, and the pins are elevated by air pressure.

A primary positioning mechanism includes a pair of oppositely movablelevers 11 and 12 provided, respectively, with jaws 13 and 14 whichcooperate to grip any one of the fifteen indexing pins which has beenelevated in response to the indicia on the record strip. The rear endsof levers 11 and 12 are coupled together by a link 15, and intermediateits ends the lever 11 is connected by a link 16 to a pivot pin 17mounted on an arm 18 which is rockable about a stationary pivot 19. Thelever 12 is connected to a stationary pivot 2 8 by a link 21.

When rocking lever 18 is moved to the right as viewed in PEG. 1, thelever 11 is moved to the right until the jaw 13 contacts the elevatedpin of the assembly 19, and the lever 12 then moves in the oppositedirection until its jaw 14 contacts that pin. In closing on a projectedindexing pin the jaws 13 and 14 carry with thema secondary gauge whichis formed by an upstanding l-ug 22 on a rack bar 23 (see FIG. 7) so thatthe lug 22 is aligned with the projected pin of the series 10.

As soon as the rack bar 23 is positioned with the lug 22 aligned withthe elevated pin, a lock plunger 24 (FIG. 7) moves into engagement withone of the teeth of the rack bar to lock the bar in place so that theprimary positioning levers may separate and the elevated pin may beretracted without disturbing the indexing of the rack bar.

The secondary positioning mechanism which cooperates with the lug 22,comprises a pair of oppositely movable levers 25 and 26 which carry attheir outer ends jaws 27 and 25, respectively. The levers 25 and 26 havetheir rear ends joined by a link 29, and the lever 26 is connected tothe pivot pin 17 on the rocking lever 18 by a link 3 19, while the lever25 is connected to a stationary pivot 31 by a link 32. During movementof the levers 11 and 12 to close the jaws 13 and E4, the secondarylevers 25 and 26 are opened by the movement of the rocking lever 18 tothe right. As the rocking lever 18 returns toward the left as seen inFIG. 1, the primary levers 11 and 12 are separated and the secondarylevers 25 and 26 are brought together until the jaws 27 and 28 encounterthe rack bar ing 22. As the jaws 27 and 28 close they contact and carryinto alignment with lug 22 an indexing stop 33 which is mounted on adrawbar 34. The drawbar is connected to a matrix case, indicatedgenerally at 35, so that lengthwise movement of the drawbar moves thematrix case longitudinally as stop 33 is aligned with lug 22..

All of the foregoing mechanism is found in the existing machines, inwhich stop 33 is fixedly mounted on drawbar 34. The present inventionconsists in apparatus for mounting the stop 33 so it may occupy eitherof two positions lengthwise of the drawbar 34, i.e., a normal positionand a shift position, and in controlling said move ment of the stop byspecial indicia in the record strip R, as will be hereinafter described.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2 to 7, at the outer end of drawbar34 is a cross-head 36 having a slot 37 in which a connecting arm 38 ofthe matrix case is laterally slidable with respect to the drawbar.Accordingly, it may be seen that end-wise movement of the drawbar 34controls the longitudinal position of the matrix case 35 so as to indexany desired line of character forming matrices to a type castingposition, while a second positioning and indexing mechanism similar tothat heretofore described operates through another drawbar to move thematrix case transversely with respect to the drawbar 34 in order toindex any desired matrix in a selected line of the matrix case to thetype casting position.

Drawbar 34 includes a base member 39 at the ends of which are uprightspacer blocks 40 and 41 supporting a top member 42, and a bracket 43between the rear ends of members 39 and 42 carries a two-way hydrauliccylinder 4 containing a piston 45 having a piston rod 46; and aconnector block 47 rigidly connects piston rod 46 to a push rod 48 onwhich the stop 33 is fixedly mounted. Thus it is plain that operation ofthe fluid cylinder 44 to move piston 45 and piston rod 46 toward theleft, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, moves stop 33 to the broken line shiftposition illustrated in those views. Connector block 47 carries anupstanding guide pin 49 which extends between one side of top member 42and a guide bar 56 mounted on said top member.

Referringnow particularly to FIGS. and 6, matrix case 35 is seen to bedivided into three sections designated as I, II and III. The outer endsection I and the inner end section 111 each contain six rows ofmatrices, while center section II contains nine rows of matrices. InFIG. 5 the indexing stop 33 is in its normal position, while in FIG. 6it is in its shift position. In the normal position of FIG. 5 any row ofmatrices in sections I and II or" the matrix case may be aligned withthe type forming apparatus of the machine, while in the shift positionof FIG. 6 any row of matrices in sections II and III may be aligned withthe type forming apparatus. Accordingly, it is apparent that theshiftable indexing stop 33 permits any indexing pin in the series tolocate the matrix case in either one of two positions.

The mechanism by means of which the hydraulic cylinder is actuated tomove indexing stop 33 between its normal and its shift positions isillustrated in FIG. 8. A

conventional record strip R which is prepared in the customary mannerhas special control indicia R which take the form of two holes punchedside by side in the record strip so as to simultaneously admit air toair lines 51 and 51a, which would normally elevate pins B and C of theseries of indexing pins in assembly it However, the existing commercialmachine, which is modified in accordance with the present invention, isso organized that simultaneous admission of air to the lines for the Band C pins elevates neither pin, but rather causes the control air toby-pass from the assembly 1% into a bypass line 52 from which the airenters an air exchange block 53 where it extends a pair of pins 54. Thepins 54 contact a switch arm 55 of an electric switch 56 to close acircuit 57 to a first solenoid 58 of a four-way solenoid valve 59. Theswitch 56 and solenoid air valve 59 are added to the existing machine tocontrol hydraulic cylinder 44.

For purposes of the present disclosure, it must be understood that thearrangement by which control air for the B and C pins is by-passed tothe air exchange block 53 for operation of pins 54 is a pre-existingpart of the type casting control mechanism, and the present inventionmerely utilizes these pre-existing components of the machine in a newway to close the switch 56 and actuate the solenoid valve for thenecessary operation of hydraulic cylinder 44. Accordingly, the bypassstructure is not described in detail herein since it is not a part ofthe present invention.

Assuming that the stop 33 was in its normal position, shown in solidlines in FIG. 8, movement of the upper set of indicia R to the scanner Sacts through energization of solenoid 58 to operate valve 59 to admithydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure (notshown) through a supply line 69, and thence through a control line 61 tothe rear of hydraulic cylinder 44 to move piston to the left as seen inFIG. 8, and thus move indexing stop 33 to its broken line shiftposition. The fluid pressure locks piston 45 in its extended position,where it remains until the next succeeding special pair of controlindicia R on the control tape R reach the scanner S. At that point,electric switch arm is again moved to close a circuit 62 to a secondsolenoid 63 for four-way valve 59, reversing the valve to admit fluidunder pressure to a control line 64 at the forward part of the cylinderwhile fluid from the rear of the cylinder bleeds through control line 61and a return line 6%, thus returning piston 45 to its retracted positionand indexing stop 33 to its normal position.

As used in the appended claims the phrase type forming member is ageneric term which is intended to include either a casting matrix caseor a master plate.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clarity of understandingonly, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, assome modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a positioning mechanism for a shiftable type forming member of arecord strip controlled single type casting and composing machine, orfor a master plate of a photo-typographical composing machine, incombination: a series of indexing pins; a drawbar connected to the typeforming member; an indexing stop on said drawbar, said stop beingmovable lengthwise of the drawbar between a normal position and a shiftposition; shift means for moving said stop between said positions andfor locking said stop in each said position; positioning mechanismincluding jaws engageable with said stop both in its normal and itsshift position to move the drawbar endwise until said stop is alignedwith a selected one of said series of indexing pins, whereby eachindexing pin may position the type forming member in either of twopositions; and record strip controlled means for actuating said shiftmeans.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the shift means includes a fluidcylinder, apiston in said cylinder to which the stop means is directlyconnected, and fluid valve means for locking the piston at either end ofits travel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the record strip controlled meansincludes movable pin means actuated in accordance with indicia in therecord strip, and means actuated by movement of said pin means toselectively admit fluid to the fluid cylinder.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 which includes a solenoid, an electricswitch actuated by movement of the pin means to energize said solenoid,the fluid valve means actuated by said solenoid to selectively admitfluid to the fluid cylinder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the record strip controlled meansincludes movable pin means actuated by the record strip, and meansactuated by movement of said pin means to operate the shift means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the means actuated by the pin meansincludes an electric switch which is moved by said pin means toselectively close or open an electric circuit.

7. In a positioning mechanism for a shiftable type forming member of arecord strip controlled single type casting and composing machine, orfor a master plate of a photo-typographical composing machine, incombination: a series of indexing pins; a drawbar connected to the typeforming member; indexing stop means mounted for longitudinal movement onsaid drawbar, said stop means providing a stop in either of twopositions lengthwise of the drawbar for engagement by positioning jaws;shift means for moving said stop means on the drawbar between a normalposition and a shift position in each of which the stop means is lockedagainst movement lengthwise of the drawbar; positioning mechanismincluding jaws engageable with a stop in either of said two positions tomove the drawbar endwise until said stop is aligned with a selected oneof said series of indexing pins, whereby each indexing pin may positionthe type forming member in either of two positions; and record stripcontrolled means for actuating said shift means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ST TES PATENTS1,024,524 Pierpont Apr. 30, 1912 2,762,498 Dewhurst Sept. 11, 1956

1. IN A POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR A SHIFTABLE TYPE FORMING MEMBER OF ARECORD STRIP CONTROLLED SINGLE TYPE CASTING AND COMPOSING MACHINE, ORFOR A MASTER PLATE OF A PHOTO-TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE, INCOMBINATION: A SERIES OF INDEXING PINS; A DRAWBAR CONNECTED TO THE TYPEFORMING MEMBER; AN INDEXING STOP ON SAID DRAWBAR, SAID STOP BEINGMOVABLE LENGTHWISE OF THE DRAWBAR BETWEEN A NORMAL POSITION AND A SHIFTPOSITION; SHIFT MEANS FOR MOVING SAID STOP BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS ANDFOR LOCKING SAID STOP IN EACH SAID POSITION; POSITIONING MECHANISMINCLUDING JAWS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID STOP BOTH IN ITS NORMAL